Sacrifice
by DauntlessFlame
Summary: Everyone has to be brave. Especially the Tribe cats in the mountains. Sometimes all it takes is one cat's bravery for everyone else to be brave too. Even at the cost of one's life. *This is for Mossshine's "The Prophecy" Challenge. One-shot.


**A/N: This one-shot is for **Mossshine's 'The Prophecy' Challenge on the _Warriors Challenge Forum. _**Please enjoy!**

* * *

I shiver from nose to tail. The icy cold nips at my paws. My breath puffs in the air in hurried, uneven motions. The draft tugs at my fur, pushing it the wrong way. Snow lightly falls from the downcast gray sky. I numbly walk on, keeping near the flank of our patrol.

Skylight's tail-tip slightly twitches and she stealthy edges away from us, signaling she has found prey. Anxious to leave, I press into Owlet's soft fur. The white she-cat with gray patches glances at me briefly, then turns forward to await Skylight's return.

Bracing the frigid weather, I keep my body intact by delicately moving one part of my body at a time. I twitch my whiskers. Lift a paw. Waggle my tail. Anything to keep myself warm, other than sharing Owlet's body-heat.

The tiny structure of Skylight returns, her fragile limbs heaving a scrawny snow rabbit. Owlet fluffs out her fur in worry of being spotted from above. I glance up, since it's partly my job to watch the sky for large birds. I don't see anything, not yet at least. For now, Skylight's wimpy prey is safe.

"Let's move," Shade orders briskly, in fear of wasting precious time and energy. With our diet cut back, we can only hunt so long. I sigh, following the black-and-dark-brown tortoiseshell she-cat further into the mountainous terrain. She leads us to a small break in the slope, where a brook runs through. There aren't any trees for cover, this time. The shrubby area offers little protection from the predators in the sky, but Shade assures us that prey is _plentiful_.

My senses sharpen as the coarse wind makes me shudder. I curse under my breath, wishing for better weather. But, of course, the Tribe of Endless Hunting is _not_ listening. They always fail to do so.

Storm wanders off a short distance and crouches, waiting. Breeze flicks his tail uncomfortably, watching her steadily. The dark gray cave-guard never likes to be guarding solo, but the hunters always split up.

I trail off a bit, my eyes following Owlet. The white she-cat stares into the brook. After what seems like lifetimes, she reaches in and snags a trout. I give a slight gasp as Owlet snaps her jaws around the neck. _It is so big! _Within a few heartbeats, the trout's struggles fade and now it hangs limply.

A growl from behind Owlet makes her freeze. The fur along my spine rises as I taste the air. _Fox!_

"Owlet!" I hiss. "Drop the fish!" Closing my eyes, I hope for nothing but peace. I want nothing but peacefulness. No starving. No cold. No deaths. Cautiously, I peek seeing Owlet back away from the trout. The dark fox snatches the fish and makes a run for it. I sigh in relief.

I open my eyes fully, catching sight of the shadow aloft in the pale, gray sky. It lets out a high-pitched screech and circles above. My gaze follows those large talons, ready to snatch a Tribe cat's life. "Hawk," I whisper. Immediately the hunters and cave-guards gather, huddling in a group. Skylight, with the scrawny snow rabbit in her jaws, heads off into the scarce shelter of the shrubby vegetation. Storm and Owlet follow her, with eyes wide.

The large bird is just a tiny dot in the sky, but I know from experience that a hawk is not to be taken lightly. With the sight of small Cloud, the hawk has easy prey, yet the to-be doesn't know that.

I crouch low to the rocky ground beneath my paws. The ashen sky threatens to rain soon. I flinch as the hawk screeches again, circling lower. I swear I can hear the rapid beat of its wings. It is as if I hear the click of talons, anxious to get a meal for the night. I imagine the puncture of talon to skin, wincing as if it caught me. Being taken early is my worst fear. That's anyone's worst fear, other than starving to death. Prey is scarce; Skylight was lucky to have gotten even that scrawny rabbit.

"Echo, let's retreat into the woods," I hear Breeze murmur quietly, nudging my flank. "One hawk can live."

My eyes darken, narrowing on the sullen creature from above. Its beady eyes seem to stare at me, challenging my will. The red-tailed hawk screeches again, swooping low. I take a deep, frigid breath, remembering how Pebble was taken. _Fear flashed in her stricken blue eyes for a moment. _

"No," I whisper. I won't let that happen again. It is time to do or die. I am not going to let anyone die on my watch.

_This is the moment. _

Behind me Breeze and Shade stiffen as the bird dives, its talons ready to seize. Straight for Cloud of Heavy Rain.

_It's on the line. _

Everything about this seems wrong. My instincts are screaming for me to stop.

_Which way you gonna fall?_

I dart forward, remembering how helpless Pebble was. I fling myself protectively over Cloud.

_. . . In the middle between wrong and right. _

The hawk's talons pierce my skin and I let out a cry of pain. I float up into the sky, hearing the rhythmic beat of the wings. Then everything ends.

* * *

I watch now. My life saved Cloud of Heavy Rain's. For that, I am a savior. I fulfilled my destiny. Nothing can change that.

I'm thankful I had been there. My name, Echo of Fading Dawn, will forever be remembered. Later, in my honor, that same hawk was killed by my Tribe. Cloud made the killing bite, proving himself a worthy cave-guard. He never froze under a bird again.

I taught everyone a lesson; a lesson that everyone will never forget.

Sometimes a sacrifice must be made. Who will make that sacrifice is dependent on how much you act on the moment. Some choose to hide, others choose to fight. _I_ fought. My life was lost, but in the end, I won. I have succeeded.

May those brave enough never fail.


End file.
